<< >> NASA ASRS Report 422606, December 1998

Sector workload had increased dramatically due to radar outage and use of the backup system. These factors contributed to an operational error.

Attributes
ACN	422606
Time
Date	199812
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hto
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	L-1011 Tri-Star All Series
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Experience	controller radar : 14
ASRS Report	422606
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9600 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I had assumed the handoff position at sector 33 due to traffic and computer problems. We were in darc mode and unable to make computer entries. Data blocks of several aircraft were overlapped. Thus, we were unable to see altitude and aircraft identify information. I was attempting to start a track on a jfk departure (about 2 mins after I assumed position) when both aircraft responded to TCASII alerts. Having been in position without a briefing for such a short period, I never even knew these aircraft were in the sector.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SECTOR WORKLOAD HAD INCREASED DRAMATICALLY DUE TO RADAR OUTAGE AND USE OF THE BACKUP SYS. THESE FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO AN OPERROR.

Narrative: I HAD ASSUMED THE HDOF POS AT SECTOR 33 DUE TO TFC AND COMPUTER PROBS. WE WERE IN DARC MODE AND UNABLE TO MAKE COMPUTER ENTRIES. DATA BLOCKS OF SEVERAL ACFT WERE OVERLAPPED. THUS, WE WERE UNABLE TO SEE ALT AND ACFT IDENT INFO. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO START A TRACK ON A JFK DEP (ABOUT 2 MINS AFTER I ASSUMED POS) WHEN BOTH ACFT RESPONDED TO TCASII ALERTS. HAVING BEEN IN POS WITHOUT A BRIEFING FOR SUCH A SHORT PERIOD, I NEVER EVEN KNEW THESE ACFT WERE IN THE SECTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.